High and low pile fabric and method of making same



Nov; 18, 1958 o. MOBERG HIGH AND LOW FILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1956 WAR 0. MOBE-R a,

INVENT OR BY 6132mm, +ld35g.

- ATTORNEYS I. O. MOBERG Nov. 18, 1958 HIGH AND LOW PILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 4, 1956 E s w w A W 0 E; INVENTOR: 7 Ivma O. MOBERQ y w fl W ATTORNEYS Nov. 18, 1958 1. o. MOBERG 2,860,669

HIGH AND LOW FILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 4. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IVAR 0. Mosene,

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS I. O. MOBERG Nov. 18, 1958 HIGH AND LOW FILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 4, 1956 PATTERN MECH.

. MOBE-EG Ivmz O INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYEv Nov. 18, 1958 1. o. MOBERG 2,860,669

HIGH AND LOW PILE FABRIC AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Oct. 4, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 NA? 0. MOBE-RG,

IN VENTOR United States aarassa HIGH AND LOW FEE FABRIIQ AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Application October 4, 1956, Serial No. 613,899 29 Claims. (Cl. 139-402) This invention relates to pile fabrics such as rugs, carpets and the like and is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 398,287, filed December 15, 1953, and entitled Method of and Apparatus for Weaving High and Low Pile Fabric, The principles of the present invention may also be applied to cloth of various kinds including terry cloth for use in making bath mats, towels and the like.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a pile fabric having a base woven of the usual warp and filler or weft yarns and a pile interwoven therewith, usually of a soft wool or similar yarn, in the form of loops and/or tufts on one side of the base fabric which pile is of various heights and wherein the bights of individual loops forming the pile extend weftwise over one or more warp yarns and which are attached to the base fabric by looping the strands of pile yarn warpwise beneath certain weft yarns.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pile fabric of the character described in which the pile is initially in the form of loops and wherein the pile loops are formed of at least two different heights according to a preconceived pattern.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pile fabric of the character described wherein the bights of :some of the loops lie against the upper surfaces of the warp yarns over which they extend and the bights of others of the loops are of predetermined height above the warp yarns over which they extend.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a pile fabric of the character described wherein the pile is initially in the form of pile loops of at least three different heights and wherein the bights of the shortest or lowest loops lie against the base, and other loops are of intermediate height with their bights spaced a predetermined distance above the warp yarns, or above the base, and wherein loops of still another height greater than said intermediate height or, in other words, relatively long loops, are formed and wherein loops of all three heights may be disposed in warpwise and weftwise relation in any predetermined order.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pile fabric of the character described wherein certain height loops are severed to form our pile areas or tufted areas of predetermined configuration in which lines of demarcation between such areas may be determined by the baseengaging loops.

In each instance, the pile fabric is preferably woven as a single-shot, double-weft or double-filler fabric, although multi-shoe fabrics can be made. In double-shot or triple-shot fabrics, the bight of each pile loop not only lies across and above one or more warp yarns, but

also extends at an angle and overlies filler yarns.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whicht Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of a section of single- 2,860,669 Patented Nov. 18, 1958 shot fabric illustrating how pile loops of various heights may appear in plan;

Figure 2 is a view of another section of single-shot fabric similar to that illustrated in Figure 1, but showing the fabric isometrically and wherein the highest loops are cut to the same level as the loops of intermediate height;

Figure 3 is a plan view of a piece of fabricv showing, somewhat schematically, one of many different types of intricate designs which may be embodied in the improved fabric and being on a reduced scale as compared to the illustrations in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is an end view of the, section of fabricv shown in Figure I, particularly illustrating three heights of loops wherein loops of two different heights are raised and wherein the bights of the lowest or shortest loops lie against the base fabric;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but wherein the loops of intermediate height have been cut or severed to form tufts therefrom;

Figure 6 is another view similar to Figure 4, but wherein both the relatively long loops and the loopsof intermediate height have been severed or cut;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 4 wherein the relatively long or high loops have been severed to substantially the same level as the bights of the loops, of intermediate height, and being a view looking atthe end of the upper portion of the fabric section shown in Figure 2;

Figure 8 is an isometric View of a portion of a loom illustrating the pertinent pile-loop-forming instrumentalities and showing, in particular, the relationship between some of the loop forming fingers while forming; relatively short loops, others of the loop forming fingers while forming relatively long loops and still others of the loop forming fingers while forming loopsof intermediate height;

Figure 9 is an isometric view of one form of loopforming finger, this being the form illustrated in Figure 8, wherein loop-forming zones or weaving stages of two different heights are illustrated to facilitate the formation of raised loops of two different heights and the formation of loops whose bights engage the base fabric;

Figure 10 is a view of another form of loop-forming finger similar to that shown in Figure 9 but wherein the operating end thereof is provided with a relatively short or low blade thereon for severing only those loops of intermediate height as formed over the nose portion of the corresponding finger;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10, but showing a relatively long or high blade fixed to the free end of the nose portion of the loop-forming finger for severing both intermediate and high loops formed over the nose portion and the shank, respectively, of the corresponding finger;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary isometric view of another form of loop-forming finger which may be used with the loop-forming instrumentalities illustrated in Figure 8 for forming loops whose bights are spaced above the Figure 15 is a somewhat schematic longitudinal vertical sectional View of portions of the loop-forming instrumentalities shown in Figure 8 showing one of the loop-forming fingers connected with a pattern mechanism and wherein the loop-forming finger occupiesforemostor 3 fully operative position for forming loops over the shank thereof;

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15, but wherein the type of loop-forming finger shown in Figure 12 is used and showing the same in operative position for forming loops over the same following the formation of loops whose bights lie against the base fabric or 1' against .the warp yarns over which they extend;

Figure. 17 is a warpwise sectional view through a section of fabric similar to Figure 4, but illustrating the fabric as though originally formed with raised loops of 1 two different heights and wherein the bights of the high I loops are severed to form tufts of substantially the same height as the low raised loops;

Figure 18 is a fragmentary weftwise view through the section of fabric shown in Figure 17;

f of one form of the improved fabric is indicated at in Figures 1 and 4, which fabric is exemplary of a pile fabric haying loop pile areas of three different heights wherein the loops in each warpwise row are formed from a single continuous pile yarn 11, the three different heights or lengths of loops being defined as relatively long loops L, intermediate loops I (loops of intermediate height or length) and relatively short, low, ground-engaging or base-engaging loops S.

Various types of fabrics may be formed, such as one, two or three-shot weave, the form of the fabric shown in Figures 1, 4 and 15, for example, being a one-shot or single-shot fabric. Although the fabric section in Figure differs somewhat from the fabric section 10 in Figures 1 and 4, they are woven, generally, in the same manner and the same reference characters will be applied to like elements in the Figures 1, 4 and 15. The singleshot weave illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 includes groups of warps, preferably four in number indicated at 1.2, 13, 14 and 15, each adjacent warp being shedded in opposite directions, with a single pile yarn 11 being attached to or woven into the base fabric by the use of a correspond- 1 ing loop forming pile yarn guide 20, there being a row comprising a plurality of said guides illustrated in Figure 8.

The pile yarn guides cooperate with loop forming fingers and other weaving instrumentalities in a manner fully described and claimed in my said copending application, Serial No. 398,287, filed December 15, 1953, to form the loopsL, I and S in predetermined sequence, In order that the instant fabric structure may be clearly understood, the loop forming and weaving instrumentalities shown in Figure 8, and their operation, will now be described.

In Figures 8 and 15, it will be observed that the warps or warp yarn 12, 13, 14 and 15 pass from the conventional shed forming means or harnesses, not shown, through an oscillatable reed 21 where a shed is formed and through which shed shots of filler or weft yarns 22 are placed by a needle 23, which forms a part of the loom described in said copending application, but which forms no part of the present invention. The needle 23 functions in the usual manner to form double-weft yarns,

. although it is contemplated that single weft yarns may be used.

The medial portions of warpwise extending loop-forming fingers or wires extend through the reed 21, there being one form of such loop-forming fingers shown in Figures 8 and 15, broadly designated at 25. This form of loop-forming finger is also illustrated in Figure 9 removed from the loom. There are various types of loopforming fingers which may be used, a few of which are illustrated in Figures 9 through 12 and all of the loopforming fingers used in forming a particular type of fabric may be the same, or various types of loop forming fingers may be used in combination. Depending upon the desired pattern, some of the loop-forming fingers 25 may be stationary, others may be shiftable longitudinally of the warp between two different positions and still others may be selectively shifted to any one of three (lifferent positions according to the desired pattern, or all of the fingers may be selectively shifted longitudinally of the warp to any one of three different positions.

To this end, the loop-forming fingers 25 are shown as being guided for longitudinal movement in a transverse guide 26 and the shank of each of the loop-forming fingers 25 has, at its rear end, one end of a control cord 27 connected thereto which may lead to a suitable pattern mechanism 30 (Figure 15), which is preferably a jacquard mechanism when the shifting is between two positions, to provide maximum flexibility of patterning. In weaving the fabrics shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 through 8, 13, 14 and 15, it will be apparent, as the description proceeds, that corresponding loop-forming fingers are shifted warpwise to three different positions. The loopforming fingers 25 or any other forms of fingers substituted therefor may be controlled by a mechanism such as is disclosed in said copending application or by any other suitable pattern mechanism. Thus, a detailed illustration and description of the pattern mechanism 30 is deemed unnecessary.

The particular loop-forming fingers 25 shown in Figures 8, 9 and 15 each comprises an elongated shank 30 of predetermined height whose forward portion forms a. loop-forming or weaving stage which, when in loop-forming or operative position, cooperates with the corresponding pile yarn guide 20 in forming the relatively long or high loops L. The free forward end of each loop-forming finger 25 is provided with a relatively narrow portion or nose 31 whose free end is preferably rounded, as at 32, and which is of substantially lesser height than the height of the shank or the high loop-forming stage 30 of the loop-forming finger 25. This form of loop-forming finger is preferably formed with a substantially right angular surface or edge 33 at the juncture of the shank Sill and the nose portion 31.

It is apparent that, when the nose 31 is in loop-forming or operative position, loops of intermediate height, such as the loops I in Figure 4, are formed thereover so the upper surface or edge of the nose defines another loopforming or weaving stage of lesser height than the loopforming stage formed by the upper edge of the forward portion of the shank 30. The substantially right-angular edge 33 is provided at the juncture of the shank 30 with the nose 31 in order to provide a definite line of demarcation between high and intermediate loops L and I whenever the shank 30 of the corresponding loop-forming finger 25 is moved forwardly into operative position after loops have been formed over the nose 31. Of course, when the loop-forming fingers 25 are moved rearwardly to where they are completely withdrawn from the loopforming zone, that is, to Where the free rounded ends 32 of the nose portions 31 are disposed rearwardly of the point at which the loops are formed, and in which position the three loop-forming fingers 25 at the extreme right-hand portion of Figure 8 are shown, relatively low or short' loops such as those indicated at S in Figure 4 are formed against the base fabric. The loops may be formed in this manner because the pile yarn guides 20 move into and out of the shed of the loom and are shogged weftwise, first in one direction and then in the other while in raised position so the pile yarn is shogged over and across certain ground warp yarns which, in the form of fabric shown in Figures 1 and 4 includes a corresponding group of the four warps 12, 13, 14 and 15. r

In other words, when either of the weaving stages of any of the loop-forming fingers 25 are in operative position, the corresponding pile yarns 11 are shogged over the corresponding fingers to form the loops L and I over the corresponding shanks 30 and nose portions 31, respectively. On the other hand, when any of the loopforming fingers 25 are completely Withdrawn from operative position, the corresponding pile yarns 11 are shogged over the corresponding groups of warp yarns only.

Now, referring again to the one-shot fabric section shown in Figures 1 and 4, and considering the fabric in Figure 4 as being produced from the lflfl'lllll'itl side of the drawing toward the right, the warps are open with l3, down and 12, 14 up and the filler or double-weft am 22 would be placed through the warp and beat up. At this time, the corresponding loop forming finger 25 cccupies intermediate position and the pile yarn guides 28 are elevated with. the corresponding pile yarn ll being drawn upwardly from beneath the first double-weft yarn 22.

In the next step, the warps reverse position as the pile yarn guides shift from left to right in Figure 8 to move the pile yarn 11 toward the observer in Figure 4 and over the low portion or nose portion 31 of the corresponding loop-forming finger. The guides 20 then descend into the shed below the path of travel of the needle 23 and dwell there momentarily while the needle 23 makes another in and out movement, to place the next succeeding or second shot of filler or double-weft yarn 22 between the shredded warps so the shot of filler is in front or" the guides 20 and behind the corresponding pile. yarns 11 to anchor the rear leg of the intermediate loop I at the lefthand side of Figure 4 to the base. The guides 26 then ascend to draw the corresponding pile yarn 11 around the under side of the filler or second double-weft yarn 22 from the left in Figure 4, which is drawn up snugly against the under side of the corresponding loop forming fingerZS.

At this time, the latter loop-forming finger is advanced so the right angular forward edge 33 of the shank 30 engages the intermediate loop I previously formed and so that, when the corresponding pile yarn guide 2b ascends and is shifted to the left in Figure 8, it draws the pile yarn 11 upwardly therewith and snugly over the shank 3% of the corresponding finger 25 to initiate the formation ofthe first of the relatively high loops L. Also, as the guides 20 ascend, the beat up mechanism or lay 21 again functions so the filling and the corresponding pile loops are heat up against the fabric previously woven.

This procedure is repeated in the forming of the next two loops so as to form the three relatively high loops L shown in the left-hand portion of Figure 4. Thereafter, the corresponding loop-forming finger 25 is partially Withdrawn to again position the low portion or nose 31 there of inoperative position, and the second intermediate loop is formed. The loop-forming finger 25 is then completely withdrawn from operative position and the next two' succeeding short loops S are formed in the same manner in which the previous loops were formed, with the exception that the bights of the loops S simply extend across. and above the corresponding group of ground warps and thereby lie against the base fabric. The mannor in which the remainder of the portion of fabric shown in Figure 4 is woven is apparent from the foregoing description and a further description of the manner in which the fabric is formed is deemed unnecessary.

The pile yarns 11, from which the loops L, I and S are formed in Figures 1 and 4 may be of any desired type, according to the purpose of the fabric. A single-ply, single-strand or a multi-ply single-strand or a multi-strand yarn may be used and the multi-straud yarn may be formed with each strand being of a single or multi-ply.

.The pile yarns may vary in any particular fabric or from yarn to yarn as to color, twist, blend, size, weight, fiber content and may be provided with novelty effects such as slub, flake, and knop or can he a continuous filament,

such as rayon. or the yarn may be in the form of, a tow. Also, a moresque yarn may be used wherein two different colored strands are plied together to form each yarn.

In any particular fabric, clusters of high, intermediate and low loops may be restricted to certain predetermined areas of the overall pattern; that is, the loops formed from the pile yarns 11, could vary from fabric to fabric or from row to row of loops or may even vary from loop to loop. Where different colors are available to the. loom needles, certain colors could be raised in selected areas while pile yarns of other colors could be formed in loops on the low level, as at S in Figure 4, in the same areas in order to produce variegated patterns.

It has been found that, by providing thepile yarn guides 20 with adjacent pile yarns of different colors, warpwise spaced areas, but in relatively high loops. L may be formed in portions of certain spaced or alternate warpwise rows of pile, with intervening pile yarns, of difierent color, being in the form of base-engaging loops S and, dependin upon the texture of the yarn from which the relatively high loops are formed, they will generally completely hide or obscure the relatively short or groundengaging loops S. Of course, at other or intervening areas the pile yarns 11 from which the loops S were formed may then be in the form of relatively long loops L while the loops in said alternate or spaced rows may then be relatively short loops S. Other obvious variations may be provided by proper interspersion of intermediate loops I with relatively long and relatively short loops L and S in warpwise and weftwise relationship.

Referring now to Figure 5, the section of fabric 10a is of substantially of the same construction as the section of fabric ll shown in Figure 4, with the exception that the intermediate loops I have been severed or cut. This condition may exist in the formation of all warpwise rows of pile or in selected rows. The ground Warp and weft yarns shall bear the same reference characters for each of the fabric sections 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10h, Ni and 10 since each of these fabrics is shown in the form of a single-shot fabric. In Figure 5, the relatively high loops and the relatively low or ground-engaging loops are again respectively designated at L and S. However, since the intermediate loops have been cut in the form of tufts, the intermediate height tufts are indicated at I' in Figure 5.

Now, in order to form the tufts I in all or certain selected rows of pile, a corresponding finger such as that indicated at 35 in Figure 10 may be used. It is apparent that, if all the loops I of intermediate height are to be severed to form the tufts I throughout the width of the fabric being woven, all of the fingers may be of the type shown in Figure 10. However, in order to produce dilferent pattern effects, other types of fingers may be used in combination with fingers 35.

The elements indicated at 40, 41, 43 in Figure 10 correspond to the elements 30, 31, 33 in Figure 9 and, accordingly, these parts need not be further described. The loop-forming finger 35 differs from the loop-forming finger 25 in that a relatively short blade or knife 44 is suitably secured on the free end thereof and its cutting edge extends upwardly and forwardly at an angle from the upper edge of the nose portion 41. It should be noted that the uppermost edge of the blade or knife 44 is disposed below the plane of the upper edge of the shank 44) to insure that only the short pile loops formed over the nose 41 will be severed thereby while the relatively long loops formed over the shank portion 40 will remain unsevered as the loops pass over the ends of the corresponding fingers 35.

The fabric section Illb shown in Figure 6 is initially formed in identically the same manner as the fabric shown in Figure 4. However, the relatively high loops L and the intermediate loops I are severed so as to form the relatively high tufts L-2 and intermediate tufts I-Z in Figure 6. The intermediate tufts I-2 of Figure 6 may be formed by the use of loop forming fingers 35 (Figure 10) in the same manner as that in which the intermediate loops I were formed in making the fabric such as that shown in Figure 5. However, it would then be necessary to remove the fabric from the loom and cut the relatively high loops to form the high cut pile 'or open pile L-2 by means of a suitable shearing appa ratus. It would then be necessary that all of the relatively high loops L were severed.

If it is desired that only those relatively high loops in certain warpwise pile rows being severed, loop-forming fingers of the type shown in Figure 11 and indicated at 45 may be used. The loop-forming finger 45 is substantially the same as the loop-forming finger 35 and the elements 50, 51, 53 and 54 of the loop-forming wire 45 may be substantially the same or identical to the corresponding elements 40, 41, 43 and 44 of the loop forming finger 35. However, the loop-forming finger 45 differs. from the loop-forming finger 35 to the extent that the upper edge of blade 54 is disposed sufficiently above the plane of the upper edge of the shank 50 so that all the relatively long and intermediate loops formed over the respective portions 50, 51 of the corresponding loopforming fingers 45 will subsequently be severed by the blade or knife 54. Since the ground engaging or relatively short loops remain unsevered in Figure 6, the reference numeral S also applies to fabric section 10b.

In Figures 2 and 7, another fabric section 10c is illustrated which may initially be woven in identically the manner described with respect to Figures 1 and 4 and, accordingly, like elements in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 7 will bear the same reference characters. However, it will be noted that the fabric section shown in Figures 2 and 7 differs from those heretofore described in that only the relatively high loops are severed to form tufts indicated at L-3 whose upper ends preferably terminate on substantially the same level as the upper ends of the closed loops or closed pile I. Since the intermediate and low loops in Figures 2 and 7 are identical to the intermediate and low loops shown in Figures 1 and 4, the same reference characters will apply.

In forming the fabric section 10c, the relatively high loops in selected rows of pile or in all the rows of pile throughout the width of the fabric being woven may be severed by means such as that shown in Figure 28 of said copending application. However, if it is desired that all of the relatively high loops be severed to form open pile tufts L-3 (Figures 2 and 7) whose upper ends terminate on the same plane as the intermediate loops 1, the fabric formed in the manner of fabric such as is shown in Figure 4 may be removed from the loom and the long loops L may be severed by means of a suitable shearing apparatus to form the open pile 11-3.

In Figure 3, a typical pattern is illustrated wherein the fabric section on which the pattern is formed is broadly designated at 10d. It will be noted that the fabric section 10d includes a plurality of irregularly-shaped areas which are of relatively varying configuration and are designated at a through p. These areas may be termed as solid areas defined by demarcation areas or lines each of which is designated at q. The fabric section 1% may be formed in various combinations of the various types of fabric shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 through 7 and 13, through 15.

For example, all the areas a to p may be in the form of relatively high loops or cut pile while the demarcation areas q may be formed with intermediate loops I or intermediate cut pile or relatively low or ground engaging loops as indicated at S in Figures 1, 2 and 4 through 7. It is apparent from the foregoing description that certain of the areas, such as a, b, disposed in substantially warpwise relationship to others of the areas, such as g and It may appear to be a different color from said other areas. To this end, assuming that the pile is formed as shown in Figures 2 and 7, for example, the tufts L-3 in ill) areas a, b may be formed in alternate or closely spaced warpwise rows of pile made from one color of yarn while the intervening warpwise rows of pile may be in the form of relatively short loops S only so the inter mediate loops I and/ or the tufts L-3 completely hide the short loops S, which short loops would be formed from another color of yarn. On the other hand, in weaving the areas g, h, the pile in said last-mentioned alternate or spaced warpwise rows may be in the form of relatively short loops while the pile in intervening warpwise rows may be formed of intermediate loops I and/ or tufts L-3 which would also hide or substantially obscure the short loops S in said alternate or spaced warpwise rows so the areas a, b would appear to be of entirely different color from the areas g, h in the finished fabric.

By means of the last-mentioned method, it is apparent that the areas a through q may vary relative to each other as to height, texture and color and may also vary relative to each other as to the form of the pile to the extent that certain areas may be of cut pile, other areas may be in the form of loop pile or all of the areas may be in the form of cut pile. Also, by alternating or spacing various colored pile yarns weftwise of the fabric any one or more of the raised areas a to p may be in the form of closed and/ or open pile to produce a mottled variegated appearance thereto of predetermined configuration.

An important advantage in the present type of pile fabric, as compared to the Wilton types of pile fabric which are formed by means of weftwise pile wires, resides in the fact that extremely abrupt changes or variations in configuration of adjacent areas may be formed, particularly wherein the adjacent areas may be contiguous and of two different pile heights in which both of said adpacent areas may be of cut or open pile or one of the areas may be of loop pile and other of the areas may be of open pile. This abrupt change in configuration, such as at the pointed portions of the areas a, b in Figure 3, may be more accurately determined with the present type of fabric construction than that type of construction wherein weftwise removable pile wires are used because of the fact that, in both the present and previous types of fabrics, adjacent groups of spaced warp yarns and adjacent weft yarns define a substantially rectangular opening or box therebetween and, due to the fact that the pile yarns in previous types of rug fabrics are necessarily maintained between the same adjacent groups of warp yarns throughout the length of the fabric as it is being woven and a loop is formed at each of said boxes over the corresponding weftwise pile wire, when such loops are severed this results in the formation of two tufts of common height in the corresponding box.

However, with fabric woven according to the present method, due to the fact that the pile yarns are shogged over respective groups of or individual warp yarns, resulting in the base portions of loops being attached to immediately adjacent weft yarns at opposite sides of the corresponding groups of warp yarns or individual warp yarns, it is apparent that the bight of each loop thus formed is actually centered over the corresponding groups of ground warp yarns or the corresponding individual ground warp yarn. Accordingly, since only one of two adjacent loops need be severed or both of said two adjacent loops may be severed and are originally formed of different height, tufts of two different heights; that is, a low tuft and a high tuft, may be formed in the same box. This is also due to the fact that immediately adjacent pile yarns in weftwise relationship whose loops are formed over closely spaced groups of, or individual, ground warp yarns pass into the base fabric through the same opening or box.

As heretofore stated, any of the forms of the fabric heretofore described may be of one-shot, two-shot, threeshot or other similar construction, although they are 9 shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 through 7 as being of the single-shot or one-shot type. Examples of two-shot and three-shot fabrics 10c and 16; are shown in Figures 13 and 14 embodying the novel combinations of loops of the present invention.

The multi-shot fabrics exemplified by the two-shot and three-shot fabrics 10e, 10; of Figures 13 and 14 differ from the single-shot fabric of Figures 1 and 4 primarily in that the high, intermediate and low loops, respectively designated at L-4, I4 and 8-4 in the fabric section 10e and respectively designated at L-S and I- and 8-5 in the fabric section not only cross over the corresponding groups of ground warp yarns, but also cross over corresponding weft yarns so that the bight of each individual loop extends at an angle to both the weft and the warp.

Like the single-shot fabric shown in Figure 4, the twoshot or double-shot fabric shown in Figure 13 is formed from a plurality of groups of ground warps there preferably being four ground warps in each group, the warp yarns in each group being indicated at 62, 63, 64 and 65, the pile yarn being indicated at 61, and the weft or filler yarns being indicated at 66. The two-shot fabric is woven in a conventional manner, with the exception of the loops L-4, I-4 and 8-4 being formed according to the present invention and in the manner as described with respect to Figure 4. Of course, since the fabric section 10a is a two-shot fabric or double-shot fabric, it differs from the fabric section 10 in that a double-weft yarn 66 is inserted in the fabric each time the guides (Figure 8) are raised as well as a double-weft yarn 66 being inserted each time the pile yarn guides 20 are lowered. On the other hand, in forming the fabric 10 shown in Figure 4, a weft yarn is inserted in the fabric only when the pile yarn guides are lowered.

The three-shot fabric 10f shown in Figure 14 includes pile yarn 71 from which the loops L5, L5 and 8-5 are formed. The ground fabric or base of the fabric 10 comprises a plurality of groups of warps, each group preferably being in spaced relation to the other groups and each group consisting of two stuifer warps 72, 73 and a weaving warp 74. Shots of filler or double-weft yarns 75, 76, 77 are placed in the fabric by the needle 23 (Figure 9), one-shot 76 being disposed between the stuifer warps 72, 73 and against the forward edge of the rear leg of one of the loops, with the shot of filler 77 being below the stuifer warps 72, 73 and above the Weaving warp 74 and through the lower interconnecting portion between adjacent legs of adjacent loops. The third shot of filler 75 is disposed above the stufier warp 73 and abuts the rear surface of the forward leg of each successive loop, assuming that the fabric is woven from left to right and moves from right to left in Figure 14.

In Figures 12 and 16 another form of loop-forming finger is illustrated which may be substituted for any one or more of the loop-forming fingers in Figures 8 and 15. The remaining portions of the loom illustrated in Figure 16, being identical to corresponding portions shown in Figures 8 and 15 will bear the same reference characters in order to avoid repetitive description. The form of loop-forming finger shown in Figures 12 and 16 is indicated at 80 and may be of the same height throughout its length or, at least, that portion thereof over which loops are formed is of the same height throughout its length according to the height of the loops to be formed thereover. The loop forming finger 80 is used in instances wherein the fabric is to include high and low pile in which the high pile may be in loop or open form.

As shown in Figure 16, the relatively high loops such as are indicated at L-6 are formed above the ground fabric or base of the fabric 10g when the corresponding loop-forming finger 80 is advanced over ground weft yarns 81 or occupies operative or forward position and, of course, the relatively short or ground-engaging loops -S.6 are formed against the base and across the corresponding warp yarns, such as are indicated. .at 82 and 83 in Figure 16, when the corresponding loop-forming finger 80 is withdrawn from the loop forming zone or occupies rearward position. It is apparent that loop-forming fingers 80 may be used for producing various types of designs such as that illustrated in Figure 3 wherein all of the areas a through p may be the same height and .may be either in the form of loops or tufts and the demarcation areas q in Figure 3 would then be formed by the relatively low or ground-engaging loops S6, The fabric 15g may be of single-shot or multi-sh-ot construction similar to that described in Figures 1, 2, 4 through 6, 13, 14 and 15, although it is shown in Figure 16 in .the form of a single-shot fabric. Accordingly, a further detailed description of the fabric shown in Figure 16 is deemed unnecessary.

An extremely important type of the present fabric is that in which the loops, formed by shogging pile yarns across warp yarns, are of two different raised heights and within the high loops are severed, either during the weaving of the fabric or after the fabric has been removed from the loom, as particularlyshown in Figures 17, 18 and 19. Alternative arrangements of this fabric are shown in Figures 20 and 21 wherein, in Figure 20, all the loops remain closed and, in Figure 21, the low raised loops have been cut and the high loops remain closed.

The fabric in each of the Figures 17 through 21 is shown in the form of a single-shot fabric and, as heretofore stated, the ground warp yarns, weft yarns and pile yarns of the fabric sections, respectively designated at 10h, 1th and 10f, bear the same reference characters as the ground warp yarns, the weft yarns and the pile yarns of the first form of fabric section 16 shown in Figures 1, 4 and 15, in order to avoid repetitive description.

In producing the fabric 1012 (Figures 17, 18 and 19) loop-forming fingers such as that indicated at 25 in Figure 9, may be used, but, of course, it is only necessary that the loop-forming fingers 25 are shiftable between two positions wherein either the shank 30 (Figure 9) or the nose 31 of each of the fingers is in operative or loop-forming position according to the desired pattern. This also applies to the fabric section 101'. As a matter of fact, the fabric section 1011 is initially woven in the form of the fabric section 10i wherein predeterminedly arranged relatively low raised loops I-7 and relatively high raised loops L-7 are formed, the relatively low raised loops I-7 of the fabric ltii in Figure 20 being formed in identically the same manner as: and, corresponding to, the intermediate loops I of the fabric 10 in Figures 1, 4 and 15.

The fabric section 10h in Figures 17, 18 and 19 is merely formed by cutting or severing the high loops, such as loops L-7 of Figure 20, to form tufts L% which are of substantially the same or slightly greater height than the low raised loops which, in the fabric section 10h, are indicated at 11-8.

The fabric section 10 in Figure 21 is also originally in the form of the fabric section 101' in Figure 20 and may.

be formed by using loop-forming fingers such as the finger 35 in Figure 10. The fabric section lilj includes relatively high loops L-9 which correspond to the relatively high loops L-7 in Figure 20 and the relatively low loops of fabric 101' are severed in forming the fabric section 101' to form relatively low tufts I-9. In all other respects, the fabric sections 10h, 10f and 10 may be manufactured in identically the manner described with respect to the fabric sections (Figure 7), 10 (Figures 1 and 4) and 10a (Figure 5), respectively. Accordingly, a further detail description of the fabric sections 10h, 101, 10 is deemed unnecessary.

It is apparent that the fabric sections shown in Figures 17 through 21 may be in the formof multi-shot fabrics and, regardless of the construction of the base, when utilizing the basic construction disclosed herein, it is apall of whose bights are spaced above the ground fabric,

may be formed crosswise of certain groups of warp yarns 'or angularly across predetermined groups of warp and weft yarns. By way of example, the fabric construction of Figures 17, 18 and 19 may be produced in the form of a pattern, such as the fabric d shown in Figure 3, wherein the demarcation areas q may be in the form of tufts such as are indicated at L-8 in Figures 17, 18 and 19, and the remaining areas of Figure 3 may be in the form of relatively low raised loops such as are indicated at I-8 in Figures 17, 18 and 19, or vice versa.

Although the various types of fabric shown and described herein are of forms particularly adapted to be woven on looms of the character disclosed in said copending application and partially illustrated in Figures 8, and 16, it is to be distinctly understood that various other types of looms may be used for weaving fabric having variant-height loops in which the bights of some of the loops of some fabrics may engage the ground or base fabric. For example, a loom provided with a leno mechanism may be used for shogging the pile yarn across and above certain of the warp yarns in a manner similar to that disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,355,789, dated August 15, 1944, wherein, by selectively shifting loopforming fingers to position stages of different heights at the loop-forming zone or to completely withdraw the loop-forming fingers from the loop-forming zone at predetermined intervals, fabric similar to the various forms of fabric disclosed herein may be woven in which each of the weft yarns may comprise a single strand.

It is thus seen that I have provided a novel pile fabric and method of making the same wherein loops of two or more different lengths or heights are formed by shogging continuous pile yarns weftwise across and above warp yarns, and/or warp yarns and weft yarns, to form relatively short loops which bear against the ground or base fabric and to form other loops of predetermined height in any predetermined sequence warpwise of the fabric by positioning warpwise extending loop-forming Wires or fingers at the loop-forming zone and wherein loops of any given height may be severed independently of other loops in any given warpwise row of pile to form irregularly-shaped areas of predetermined configuration from loops of any given height or from tufts of any given height with the exception, of course, that the low or ground-engaging loops are not severed by practicing the present method.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

I. An improved pile fabric including a base having warp yarns interwoven with filler yarns, pile yarns extending generally warpwise and interwoven with the base in the form of loops varying in height warpwise of the fabric and wherein the bight of each loop extends across and above at least one of said warp yarns.

2. A pile fabric including a base having warp yarn interwoven with weft yarn, continuous generally warpwise extending pile yarns each criss-crossing over a selected group of ground warp yarns and passing beneath selected weft yarns between the points at which they crisscross over the warp yarns, and said criss-cross portions forming warpwise rows of pile loops of predetermined varying heights.

3. A loop pile fabric comprising ground warps, weft shots interwoven therewith, and pile yarns passing under certain weft shots and over corresponding warps between said certain weft shots to form loops from the pile yarn, some of the loops being of predetermined height above the ground warps and weft shots and the bights of 12 others of the loops, alined warpwise with certain of said some of the loops, engaging corresponding ground warps over which they extend.

4. A pile fabric according to claim 3 wherein certain of said loops of predetermined height-are severed to form tufts between those adjacent loops whose bights engage ground warps.

5. A loop pile fabric comprising ground warps, weft shots interwoven therewith, pile yarns passing under certain weft shots and over corresponding warps between said certain weft shots to form loops from the pile yarn, and the loops of each of certain of the pile yarns being of predetermined varying heights above the ground warps.

6. A pile fabric according to claim 5 wherein the bights of some of the loops of said certain pile yarns engage those warps over which they are formed.

7. A pile fabric including a ground fabric having groups of warp yarns interwoven with groups of filler yarns, and a pile comprising continuous strands of pile yarn interwoven into the ground fabric and in loop form extending through to the back of the ground fabric and above the surface of the ground fabric to form a pile, the loops above the ground fabric passing fillerwise over one set of warp yarns and having at least one set of filler yarns passing below the looped pile yarn in the ground fabric below certain of the warps, the bights of some of the loops engaging the ground fabric and the bights of others of the loops, alined warpwise with the groundfabric-engaging loops, being spaced a predetermined distance above the ground fabric.

8. A loop pile fabric comprising a plurality of ground warps, weft shots interwoven therewith and pile yarns each passing under selected sets of weft shots, and over other selected sets of weft shots and laterally over one set of ground warps, under a weft shot below the sets of ground warps and back over the same set of ground warps to complete a cycle of interweaving whereby pile loops are formed each extending weftwise and warpwise of the fabric, the bights of predetermined groups of said pile loops being of raised intermediate height above the ground warps, other predetermined groups of said loops also being raised relatively high as compared to said intermediate height and the bights of still other groups of said loops, alined warpwise of either of said groups of raised loops, engaging the warp and weft shots over which they extend.

9. A woven single-shot pile fabric which includes ground warp yarns, successive shots of filler yarns interwoven with the ground warp yarns to form a base, pile yarns looped under successive filler yarns, certain of each of said pile yarns passing back and forth in a zigzag manner between successive filler yarns and over certain adjacent ground warp yarns and rising to at least two different predetermined heights to form high and low loops.

10. A woven multi-shot pile fabric which comprises ground warp yarns interwoven with filler yarns to form a base, pile yarns looped under spaced filler yarns and passing back and forth over certain adjacent warp yarns and over the intervening filler yarns between said spaced filler yarns and each of some of the pile yarns rising to at least two predetermined heights to form high and low loops so the bights of the loops are formed at an angle to the warp and filler yarns and wherein the loops of one height, when taken with the loops of the other height, form a predetermined pattern in relief on the pile surface.

11. A woven pile fabric having a base formed from interwoven warp and weft yarns, pile yarns attached to said base and formed into loops wherein the bight of each loop extends at an angle to the weft and warp with some of said loops being at a given height above the base and others of said loops being at another height relative to said given height to form a pattern in relief wherein 13 thefloops of a givenheight and said other loops are located both warpwise andweftwise in predetermined order, adjacent pile-yarns being separated by groups of said warp yarnsand being looped beneath certain successive filler shots and over adjacent Warp yarns between saidsuccessive filler shots.

12. A loop pilefabric comprising ground warps, weft shots interwoventherewith, andpile yarns passing under alternate weft" shots andover intermediate weft shots, each pile yarn passing under a weft shot, over four ground warps to form a loop and under a weft shot and back over the same" four ground warps to complete a cycle of interweaving whereby to form pile loops, each extending both warpwise and weftwise and said loops being of varying heights both warpwise and weftwise according to a predetermined pattern.

13. A loop pile fabric according to claim 12 wherein the bights of some of the loops in warpwise relation to the others bear against the ground warps over which they pass.

14. The method of making pile fabric which comprises weaving a base from warp yarns and filler yarns while interweaving warpwise pile yarns therewith and while shogging the pile yarns fillerwise across corresponding warp yarns to form pile loops and while forming the bights of at least some successive loops at varying predetermined distances from said base according to a predetermined pattern.

15. The method of claim 14 including the step of severing the bights of loops of any given distance only from the base throughout the length of selected warpwise rows of loops.

16. The method of claim 14 including severing the bights of all loops of any given distance only from the base.

17. The method of making pile fabric which includes the steps of interweaving warp yarns and filler yarns while passing pile yarns beneath selected filler yarns, shogging each pile yarn fillerwise over and across at least one Warp yarn between said selected filler yarns to form loops, while, in a predetermined and repetitive sequence, forming the bights of some selected loops snugly against said one warp yarn, while forming the bights of other selected loop-s on an intermediate level spaced above said one warp yarn and while forming the bights of still other selected loops on'a relatively high level spaced above said one Warp yarn, and repeating the steps prescribed during which raised loops are formed warpwise of and in the same rows as loops whose bights are against warp yarn.

18. The method of claim 17 including the step of severing all the loops formed from selected pile yarns whose bights are on said intermediate and high levels.

19. The method of claim 17 including severing those loops formed from certain pile yarns Whose bights are on an intermediate level.

20. The method of claim 17 including severing those loops formed from certain pile yarns whose bights are on a relatively high level.

21. The method of making pile fabric which includes the steps of interweaving warp yarns and filler yarns while passing pile yarns beneath selected filler yarns, shogging each pile yarn fillerwise over and across at least one warp yarn between said selected filler yarns to form loops, while forming the bights of some selected loops snugly against said one warp yarn, and while forming the bights of other selected loops on a predetermined level above the base.

22. The method of making pile fabric from ground warp yarns, weft yarns and pile yarns which includes interweaving said warp yarns and weft yarns in a plain weave while looping said pile yarns under successive weft yarns, shogging the pile yarn above and across certain warp yarns between successive weft yarns to form groundwarp-engaging loops, then looping said pile yarns under the next successive weft yarn, then drawing certain of the pileyarns over portions of warpwise extending piletwires of predetermined height, then looping the pile yarn beneath the next successive weft yarn, repeating the latter steps of looping pile yarn over pile wires of predetermined height a predetermined number of times, then looping pile yarn over other portions of the warpwise extending pile wires of a height varying with respect to the first mentioned height, then looping corresponding pile yarns beneath the next succeeding weft yarn and repeating the above steps in predetermined order.

23. in a method of Weaving pile fabrics on a loom wherein a base fabric is woven from warp and filler yarns andpile yarns are interwoven into the base fabric by shogging pile yarns over warp yarns and warpwise extending fingers, the steps of shifting said fingers warplwise adjacent the fell of the base fabric and in a plane above the base fabric and beneath the pile yarns being shogged in the course of continuous Weaving to thereby vary the length of successive loops formed from the pile yarns over said warp yarns in accordance with the position of the fingers.

24. in a method of weaving pile fabrics on a loom wherein a base fabric is woven from warp and filler yarns and pile yarns are interwoven into the base by shogging pile yarns over Warp yarns, the steps of longitudinally shifting warpwise extending fingers into and out of the zone at which pile yarns are shogged and in a plane above the base fabric during continuous weaving to thereby vary the length of successive loops formed from corresponding pile yarns.

25. A pile fabric comprising a base formed from interwoven weft yarns and warp yarns, cut pile areas of predetermined height formed from. pile yarns looped beneath certain weft yarns and extending from the base in the form of tufts, other loop pile areas disposed warpwise of the first mentioned areas and being formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain of said Weft yarns and over and weftwise across selected groups of said warp yarns to form pile loops, and the loops in said loop pile areas being of varying heights.

26. A pile fabric comprising a base formed from interwoven Weft yarns and warp yarns, cut pile areas of predetermined height formed from pile yarns looped beneather certain Weft yarns and extending from the base in the form of tufts, other loop pile areas disposed warpwise of the first mentioned areas and being formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain of said weft yarns and over and weftwise across selected groups of said warp yarns to form pile loops, and at least a portion of atleast one of said out pile areas being of a different height than another portion of said lastnnentioned area.

27. A pile fabric comprising a base formed from interwoven weft yarns and warp yarns, cut pile areas of pre determined height formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain Weft yarns and extending from the base in the form of tufts, other loop pile areas disposed warpwise of the first mentioned areas and being formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain of said weft yarns and over and weftwise across selected groups of said warp yarns to form pile loops, and at least some of said pile loops disposed warpwise of said out pile areas extending across the corresponding groups of warp yarn in engagement with the warp yarn.

28. A pile fabric comprising a base formed from interwoven Weft yarns and warp yarns, cut pile areas of predetermined height formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain weft yarns and extending from the base in the form of tufts, other loop pile areas disposed warpwise of the first mentioned areas and being formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain of said weft yarns and over and weftwise across selected groups of said warp yarns to form pile loops, certain of said loops being of lesser height than the tufts and certain others of said loops being of greater height than said tufts.

29. A pile fabric comprising a base formed from interwoven weft yarns and warp yarns, cut pile areas of predetermined height formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain Weft yarns and extending from the base in the form of tufts, other loop pile areas disposed Warpwise of the first mentioned areas and being formed from pile yarns looped beneath certain of said weft yarns and over and wer'twise across selected groups of said warp yarns to form pile loops, and certain of said tufts being of greater height than others of said tufts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 605,710 Goodall June 14, 1898 16 McCollum Jan. 7, 1902 Keen May 4, 1943 Faber Aug. 15, 1944 Clark Mar. 9, 194 8 Clark Dec. 11, 1951 Clark Oct. 20, 1953 Parlin ;Aug. 10, 1954 Stovall Oct. 1, 1957 Morgan et a1.v Oct. 8, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1892 

